CBI arrests head constable for accepting bribe
After negotiations, the accused agreed to accept Rs 20,000, the Central probe agency said.
In a startling revelation, Justice Shivpal Singh, who is set to pronounce the quantum of punishment for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a case of fodder scam has said that he “got phone calls from Lalu’s men”.
“I got phone calls from Lalu’s men about the case,” the judge said indicating that he might have been threatened to award a lighter sentence to the former Bihar chief minister.
Lalu is likely to get three to seven years’ punishment, as per reports. If he is awarded three years’ sentence, he will be able to get bail soon.
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The shocking statement comes after Lalu’s sentencing was deferred by the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till Friday.
The court was to pronounce the sentence on Wednesday but was postponed till Thursday on Wednesday on account of the death of two lawyers. However, on Thursday it was again deferred till Friday.
The 70-year-old Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, who is lodged in the Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi after being convicted on December 23, is seeking minimum punishment owing to his age.
His co-accused and former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra was let off in the case pertaining to embezzlement of over Rs. 85 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.
A total of 17 accused including Lalu were pronounced guilty by the court while six were let off.
The RJD chief has already been convicted in another fodder scam case that cost him his Lok Sabha seat and disqualified him from contesting elections. Both Lalu and Jagannath Mishra are out on bail in the case.
Hearing in the multi-million fodder scam case was completed on December 13.
In all, there were 34 accused in the case, out of which 11 died during the course of the trial, while one turned CBI approver and admitted the crime.
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